Sight for firearms



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H. F. MOSSBERG SIGHT FOR FIREARMS Filed Dec. 15, 1937 INVENTR Hwldllvlassberg. BY

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Patented Oct. 11, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGHT FOR FIREARMS Harold F. Mossberg, New Haven, Conn., assigner to O. F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., New Haven, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application December 13, 1937, Serial No. 179,425

15 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sights for firearms and more particularly to an adjustable sporting rear sight having elevation and windage adjusting means in its structure.

It is particularly desirable that rear sights for firearms be adjustable vertically and laterally to respectively compensate for the distance the target is away from the marksman, and for the velocity of the wind at the location where the firearm is in use. Devices by which such adjustments are made should be of such construction that these adjustments may be delicately and accurately made to insure precision in the operation of the firearm. Such adjusting devices should, therefore, be capable of being operated to produce gradual, smooth and continuous adjustments rather than adjustments in steps, however ne these steps may be.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved sight for a firearm, particularly a rear sight, whereby elevational and windage adjustments may be gradually and smoothly made.

Another object is to provide in a sight for a rearm, a sight leaf and means to elevate one end of the same in combination with means to laterally move the elevated end. Still another object is to provide in a sight of the above type an improved form of manually operable sight elevating mechanism.

A further object is to provide in a sight of the above type a manually operable and novel form of sight windage adjusting mechanism A still further object is to provide an improved sight for a firearm which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, simple in construction, compact, ornamental in appearance, and very eflicient and durable in use.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, there has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing one form in which the invention may be embodied in practice.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1.is a sidey view of a rearm, or gun, having a rear sight embodying the features and principles of this invention associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a side view of the sight shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan View of the same;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an enlarged rear end view of the sight; and

Figure 7 is a greatly enlarged cross-sectional View taken on line 'I-l of Figure 3.

The sight selected to illustrate this invention is of the type generally known as a sporting rear sight and is mounted upon the barrel of the firearm, or gun, I2 just forward of the receiver I3. The sight is secured to the barrel II by a screw I4 which passes through the front end I5 of a sight leaf I6 and the end of a base plate I8, and is threaded into the barrel I I. The base plate I8 is preferably formed of spring metal and is provided with a curved section I9 at its rear end 2| and a curved section 22 at its front end I1, the curvature of the sections I9 and 22 being substantially equal to that of the barrel II at the respective positions so as to firmly seat thereon. The base I8 is slightly bowed upwardly between its ends whereby the curved sections I9 and 22 will be tightly pressed against the barrel II and rigidly held in place when the screw I4 is tightened.

The screw I4, where it passes through the sight leaf I6, is enlarged in diameter, as at 23, to fit an opening 24 in the leaf I6, the opening 24 being elongated cross-wise of the leaf I6 to permit lateral swinging movement of the same relatively to the base I8 upon a pivot pin, or rivet, 25 which is provided to secure the leaf I6 to the base I8 and which is disposed intermediate the ends of these parts. 'Ihe length of the enlarged portion 23 of the screw I4 is slightly more than the thickness of the leaf I6 to permit the leaf to swing relatively to the base I8. The portion 23 forms a shoulder 26 and the base I8 is clamped between this shoulder 26 and the barrel II when the screw I4 is tightened.

The base plate I8 is provided at its rear end with anges 28 and 29, which extend upwardly from the base, one on each side thereof and straddle the rear end 3| of the leaf I6. The leaf I6 at its rear end 3| is somewhat narrower than the distance between the anges 28 and 29 to allow for lateral swinging movement of the leaf I6, the flanges 28 and 29 acting respectively as stops to limit such lateral swinging movement. A portion 32 of the leaf I6 at its end 3| is bent at an angle from the remainder and extends upwardly to the rear of the flanges 28 and 29. The portion 32 has a sight notch 33 formed in its upper edge for the usual sighting purposes. The leaf I 6 is also preferably formed of spring metal and is tensioned to constantly be biased downwardly at its rear end 3|.

The means provided to laterally swing the sight leaf I6 for windage adjustment of the sight notch 33 and upon the rivet 25 includes a thumb screw 34 having knurled head 35 and a threaded body portion 36. The screw 34 is provided with trunnions 31 and 38, one at each end of the body portion 36, which are journaled in loops 39 and 4I respectively, which are formed in the leaf I6 and dispose-d intermediate the screw I4 and rivet 25. An opening 42 is formed in the leaf I6 between the loops 39 and 4I when they are formed, to provide room between the loops for the threaded body portion 36, the respective ends of which abut the opposing side edges of the loops 39 and 4I. Thread-like ribs 43, corresponding in form and pitch to the threads on the body portion 36 of the screw 34, are formed beneath the portion 36 in the upper surface of the base I8. The threads on the portion 36 of the screw 34 cooperate with these ribs 43 when the leaf is rmly held down by the loops 39 and 4I when the screw I4 is tightened. By rotating the screw 34, the leaf I6 may be swung on the rivet 25 either to the right or left to laterally adjust the sight notch 33 to compensate for wind when sighting the firearm. The front end I of the leaf I6 may be pointed, as shown in Figure 3 to cooperate with short spaced apart lines 44, provided on the end I1 of the base I8 to indicate the extent of the adjustment being made.

The means for elevating, or lowering, the rear end 3| containing the sight notch 33, includes a threaded sleeve 45 having a knurled head 46. The sleeve 45 is, in this instance provided with the left hand screw threads upon its outer periphery 41 and right hand screw threads upon its inner periphery 48. The sleeve passes through an opening 49 provided in the sight leaf I6 and threadingly engages corresponding left hand screw threads formed therein. A stud 5I, having a tongue 52 extending from its lower end into a slot 53 formed in the base I8 and having right hand threads upon its periphery corresponding to those provided upon the inner periphery 48 of the sleeve 45, is disposed within the sleeve 45. When assembled together, as best shown in Figures 4 and 7, the rear end of the leaf I6 due to its tension, whereby it is constantly biased downwardly, maintains the tongue 52 in the slot 53 to prevent the stud 5I from turning. The slot 53 is formed somewhat longer than the tongue 52 to permit lateral swinging movement of the leaf I6 by the screw 34, see Figure 7.

Rotation of the sleeve 45 by means of its knurled head 46 in one direction will cause the leaf I6, due to the cooperating threads between them, to ride up the sleeve 45 into the elevated position as shown by dotted lines at 54 in Figures 4 and 6. This movement may continue until the leaf I6 strikes the underside of the head 46 whereupon the limit of adjustment upwardly is reached. The head 46 while acting as a limiting stop for the upward movement of the rear end I5 of the leaf I6, also acts to prevent the stud 5I from coming entirely out of the sleeve 45, the sleeve 45 during the aforesaid actuation riding up the stud 5I due to the cooperating right hand threads therebetween.

Reverse rotation of the sleeve 45 will cause the leaf I6 to ride downwardly thereon into a position as shown by the dotted lines 55 in Figure 4, and in full lines in Figure 6. In this instance the stud 5I will ride upwardly into the sleeve 45 and, before the leaf I 6 entirely rides off the sleeve 45, the upper end of the stud 5I will strike against the bottom 56 of the threaded opening in the sleeve 45 and stop further rotation of the sleeve 45 in this direction. From thev above it is obvious, that there has been provided a sight elevating means whereby the sight leaf I6 may be delicately adjusted vertically by a gradual, continuous and smooth movement and that this means includes a limiting stop for such movement in each direction.

By selective rotation of the screw 34, the leaf I6 may be adjusted to compensate for wind either to the right, as shown by the dotted lines 51, or to the left, as shown by the dotted lines 58 in Figures 3 and 6. The combination of both the elevating and windage adjusting means of this invention in a sight for firearms permits of rapid adjustments of the same for sighting purposes, both means being operable within their respective limits when either is in adjusted position and without in any manner disturbing such adjustment.

While there has been illustrated and described above a specific form of sight embodying the features and principles of this invention, it will be understood that the same may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof. It is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and it will be further understood that each and every novel feature and combination thereof present in, or possessed by, the device herein disclosed, forms a part of the invention included in this application.

What is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Lettersv Patent, is:

1. The combination in a sight for a firearm, a relatively narrow elongated base plate, a sight leaf pivoted to said base plate intermediate their ends, laterally spaced apart loops formed in said leaf, thread-like ribs forme-d in the upper surface of said base plate, a threaded member rotatably mounted by and interposed between said loops in engagement with said threads and operable to swing said leaf relatively to said plate, a sleeve threadedly passing through said leaf, a threaded stud extending upwardly from said plate and secured against rotation relatively thereto, said sleeve and said stud having interengaging threads, said sleeve being rotatable on said stud to raise and lower said leaf relatively to said plate.

2. An elevator screw for a sight having a base plate member and a leaf member including an externally threaded and internally threaded sleeve adapted to be screwed by means of its external thread into a threaded opening in one of said members, and a threaded stud adapted to be secured against rotation to the other of said members and screw into said sleeve by interengaging with the internal thread thereof.

3. The combination in a sight having a leaf member pivotally mounted to a base plate member to swing laterally relatively to each other, one of said members having thread-like ribs formed on its surface between said members, and a windage screw having a threaded portion and a trunnion portion adapted to be journaled in one of said members, said threaded portion adapted to interengage with the thread-like ribs formed on the other of said members whereby rotation E3, GEUt'ltlHlU/li 1Min Hut/1cm is.

of said screw will swing one of said members relatively to the other.

4. In a sight for firearms, a base plate, a leaf plate secured to said base plate and adapted to have an end moved toward and away from said base plate, means to so move said leaf plate including a threaded rotatable sleeve member having a threaded bore, the thread on said sleeve member interengaging with a corresponding thread formed in an opening in said leaf plate, a threaded stud member secured against rotation to and extending from said base plate into said sleeve, the thread on said stud member interengaging with the thread in the bore of said sleeve, the thread on one of said members being left hand and the thread on the other member being right hand.

5. In a sight for rearms, a base plate, a sight leaf pivoted to said base plate for lateral swinging movement relatively thereto, a laterally disposed screw carried by said leaf and disposed between said leaf and base plate and threadedly engaging with said plate to swing the leaf relatively thereto, means to elevate one end of said leaf relatively to said base plate including an externally and internally threaded sleeve threaded into said leaf, and a stud interengaging with the internal thread in said sleeve and being secured against rotation to said base plate.

6. In a sight for firearms, a base plate, a sight leaf pivoted to said base plate for lateral swinging movement relatively thereto, a laterally disposed screw carried by said leaf and disposed between said leaf and said base plate and threadedly engaging with said plate to swing the leaf relatively thereto, means to elevate one end of said leaf relatively to said base plate including an externally and internally threaded sleeve threaded into said leaf, a stud having an external thread thereon interengaging with the internal thread in said sleeve, and cooperating means between said stud and said plate to secure said stud against rotation relatively thereto and to permit swinging movement between said leaf and said plate by said screw.

7. In a sight for firearms, a relatively narrow elongated base plate adapted to seat upon a part of a firearm, a relatively narrow elongated sight leaf overlying said base plate, means to pivotally secure said leaf to said base plate for laterally swinging movement relatively thereto, said leaf extending beyond said pivot means at both sides thereof, sighting means at one end of said leaf, means passing through the other end of said leaf and through said plate to secure said plate to the firearm part, a laterally extending screw disposed between said plate securing means and said leaf pivoting means in position to engage said plate to swing said leaf laterally on said pivoting means, and threaded means disposed adjacent said sighting means and carried by said leaf to raise and lower said sighting means.

8. In a sight for firearms, a relatively narrow elongated base plate adapted to seat upon a part of a firearm, a relatively narrow elongated sight leaf overlying said base plate, means disposed intermediate the ends of said plate and leaf to pivotally secure said leaf to said plate for swinging movement relatively thereto, said leaf extending beyond said pivot means at both sides thereof, sighting means at one end of said leaf, a rotatable threaded member carried by said leaf at one side of said pivoting means and engaging said plate to swing said leaf relatively thereto when rotated, threaded means carried by said leaf at the other side of said pivoting means to raise and lower said leaf relatively to said plate, and means to secure adjacent ends of said leaf andsaid plate together and to said firearm part.

9. In a sight for firearms, a leaf member having sighting means thereon, a base plate member adapted to be mounted upon .a firearm, said members being pivotally secured together for lateral swinging movement relatively to each other, a threaded member journaled in and carried by said leaf member, said threaded member being disposed between said leaf and plate members, thread-like ribs formed on the surface of said plate member adjacent said leaf member and interengaging with said threaded member, whereby rotation of said threaded member will swing said leaf member relatively to said plate member, an externally and internally threaded sleeve threadedly passing through said leaf member adjacent the sighting means thereon, and a threaded stud secured against rotation to said plate member and extending therefrom into said sleeve to interengage with the internal thread therein, said external and internal threads of said sleeve being, one left hand and the other right hand.

10. An elevator screw for a sight having a base plate member and a leaf member including an externally threaded and internally threaded sleeve adapted to be screwed by means of its external thread into a threaded opening formed in one of said members, and a threaded stud adapted to be secured against rotation to the other of said members and to screw into said sleeve by interengaging with the internal thread thereof, the internal thread of said sleeve and the thread on said stud being right hand threads and the external thread on said sleeve being a left hand thread.

11. In a sight for a rearm, a relatively narrow elongated base plate, a relatively narrow elongated sight leaf pivoted to said base plate for lateral swinging movement relatively thereto, and means including a threaded member carried by said sight leaf and disposed above said base plate and threadingly engaging the upper surface of said base plate to laterally swing said leaf relatively to said base plate.

12. In a sight for a firearm, a relatively narrow elongated base plate, a relatively narrow elongated sight leaf pivoted to said base plate for lateral swinging movement relatively thereto, means to pivotally secure said sight leaf to said base plate, means including a threaded member carried by said sight leaf at one side of said pivot means and disposed above said base plate and threadingly engaging the upper surface of said base plate to laterally swing said leaf relatively to said base plate, said sight leaf having a sighting end at the other side of said pivot means, and means carried by said leaf and disposed adjacent the sighting end thereof to elevate and lower said sighting end and including a threaded member rotatable on a vertical axis.

13. In a sight for a firearm, a relatively narrow elongated base plate, a relatively narrow elongated sight leaf, a pivot pin whereby said leaf is pivoted to said base plate intermediate their ends for lateral swinging movement relatively thereto, a first member rotatable on a horizontal axis and carried by said sight leaf above said base plate and co-operating with the upper surface of said base plate, said sight leaf having a sighting end, a second member carried by said leaf and disposed adjacent the sighting end thereof and being rotatable on a vertical axis to elevate and lower said sighting end, and a threaded member disposed adjacent the end of said leaf opposite to its sighting end to hold this leaf end downwardly upon the adjacent portion of said base plate.

14. In a sight, a relatively narrow elongated base plate, a relatively narrow elongated sight leaf pivoted to said base plate intermediate their ends for lateral swinging movement relatively thereto, laterally spaced apart loops in said leaf, threads formed in the upper surface of saidbase plate, and a threaded member rotatably mounted by and interposed between said loops above said base plate in engagement with said threads upon HAROLD F. MOSSBERG. 

